The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-10-14

I
Mackenzie lifted his eyebrows inter
rogatiEely Bella Brown was a very
aorfly MAJ. a. b. remembered him. but
ahart Of speech. and en- rely devoid Of
! imaginative qualities.
II be was q comfort 10 bereaved souls.
. must have been q ent which he had
defeI9ped very recently. But he made
/ no comment on the fact
Pine Hintry weather, he remarked.
Quite 50. said Mary.
a decided contrast 10 the elimats
have left
..Yesl1 questioningly. "SIay I ask
The little eoqaettei What viii she
rrsiend 10 be Ignorant Of nextw thought
Mackenzie.
But be only answered, pleasantly:
''-aHta barbara, you know. Under the
Coast lanee
ah. santa Barbara Her pretty.
eral face bfighte Cd i1'ye heard So
much shout santa Barbara 4 late. from
. neighbor Of ours -
-Ah sAid Rolf.
Mary SAT down now. and folded her
hand 10 her lap. with her sweet face
turned away from the FIRE, and her large
blue black eyes sparkling with ANNA
ton.
Il wonder, said she, musingly. ii
Tol haTe ever met n Mr.. Mackenzie
fherelr
Nackenzie.n he repeated,
wondering what the meaning Of ali this
vac
IL isn't great place. ike New York
Or Boston. you know reasoned Mary.
People dc meet each other theFeF'
'')h, YES; certainly
And tins Air. Mackenzie lie was
tall and good looking, with dark eye.
aud a heavJ beard.
Well. yea, il does seem 10 me a if
had met nun once or twice, said Mac
kenzis, ermiy determined 10 let Mary
carry the Joke a. far as she pleased
''aeil, said Mary. smiling noguishly
IL seems that NJ. Mackenzie, Of SANTA
lisfbzra. l. engaged 10 our nearest neish-
Dor young aoman up toward Cedar
River only shout half mile from here
q one goes through the woods and
Ehai is very funny, her name is just III.
same - mins-Mary Brown
--ihf' gasped Mr.. Mackenzie.
''she isn't 50 very pretty added
Mary shes not young, you know. and
Der hair il thin. and she wears a frisette.
sud sqmeboW il seems 70 alter the whole
expression Of her face And her sight
has failcd, doing dne sewing, and she
ia been obliged 20 take TO spectacle
AID shs's-oh. so slim, and spare. aud
shafp-elboWed -
Ar. Mackenzie sat holding tight on 70
the arm q his easy chair, while sensa
iion akin the triekling Of ice-cold water
down bis back took possession Of him.
lie c0iapFeherded il all now. lie had
found the wrong Mary Brown tins
Christmas Eve. The right Mary Brown
was still waiting, Gorgon-iike, to turn
HIM 70 stone.
.'But for all that chirped on this
sweet voiced siren. Mr. Thomas Briggs
he keepz the toll-gate just below has
fallen in love with her And-they are
married Father married them. and he
gof his fee in cider, apple sauce and
pumpkins.n she added. with a laugh.
And siuce the wedding she has cot
letter from this very Mr. Mackenzie
Ralph Mackenzie, Of llueben, or some
such nslne-that he is coming home this
hfistmas 70 marry her. Il was an old
engagement, she SAYS; but he hadn't
written very regularly, and she didn't
think lie intended 10 keep his word.
And Briggs wzs here on the spot
iYes-exactiy!' said Mr.. Mackenzie.
vita sumo difficulty curbing mis- extreme
desire TO jump up and fling his hat into
The mir '-Hnggs was on the spoti'
''But, resumed Mary, what will the
poor man say when be gets home and
lnds his sweetheart married to some one
clsrfn
Il should think answered Macken
re, ''that he would say il was the lucki-
81 escape he had ever had in his life "
Bat he WAS her lover oncer'
'l-yrs; but that was ten years ago. t
These long engagements take ali the
lie out Of r love siair. Mackenzie was
rea 3 And willing to marry her. bBt -'
OH cried Mary. with little rising
IN lection, then you did know him
vel
u ike a book" cried the visitor, glee- I
fully In fact. I'm Mack nzie mys IL +
holf Maekeuzi=l And-I beg a thousand I
pardons, am sure, but l faucied Won
were Mary Brown grown younger instead T.
Of older ] might have known that time
never went backward
''Ohr cried Mary. "And -
You've told the truth, said Macken- I
lie. It's always ihe best thing to do /
Was il a dreadful blow.' sympathe;-
IcaiiT murmured Mary. Did it take
IOu by surprisei7
''Aot blow. at all Don't / tell you
rs 9 relief But now, Miss Mary, .
uppose must 20 right on.
--ir's very Geld. said Mary, .sand this
Dad is frightfuliy solitary. And they
wen talk Of some ones having seen a
car somewhere on that mountain ledge
ast week. You-you'd better stay with
ather until morning / am sure he wouli
le happy 70 entertain you
and you, Miss aaryi pleadingly.
a.Why, she said, with the same arch
arkie under her eyelashes, ~ should
ike 70 hear all about Mr. Mackenzie, o
-anta Barb "a. Il gives one such a new
dea Of lie you seer
Very well. then said Mackenzie
I'm stay"
Presently the old clergyman, Mary
3 owns father, came IN. and renewed
lis daughie : bospifable entreaties.
NJ Mackenzie spent Christmas Eve a.
he parsonage.
on Christmas Ray he walked oTer to
3eia Browns. where he Congratulated
De b ide-a faded. wsshed-out looking
woman now-and shook hands with the
.room most cordially.
Il hope yeu don't lay up nothin' agin
ne. said Mr.. Thomas Briggs, rolling
be Light eyes soliciiously around in then
oekefs
.'Not in the leasi. wish you a merry
hrisimas' cTiel ackenzie. And l
larc say Mary will make you the best
wife IN the world -
..But I'm sorry YOU got so fur outen
ne road last night said Briggs.
When | said the first house beyond the
meant on the left-hand side,
lof the right =
.'Oh, II does not in the least signifyn
aid Mackenzie, genially. The Rev.
r. Brown entertained me most cordi-
ny.'
and thus basely did he conceal the